Given that I'm fed up enough with the Talon to go eat my (fairly substantial) losses and go find something with a better driving time/wrenching time ratio, it's clearly time for another 'what car' thread.
So, what I'm looking for would be:
- RWD. I don't really like FWD and the only car I'd probably make an exception for would be a SAAB 99. Given how many I've seen out here so far, that's unicorn territory.
- Half decent in snow with decent snow tires. For the Donner Party type snow I'll fall back to the CJ7 (even though that means I'll have to fix up that one, too).
- Fun on track. I don't need a lot of power as that'd only get me into a lot of trouble anyway. I'd prefer something that'll teach me how to drive instead. I prefer lighter, well balanced cars over cars with raw power.
- Ideally if it'd have four usable seats, that'll be really good as we currently only have one four seater. Not that we need it often, but we need it sometimes.
- Fairly easy to work on without too many specialist tools or specialist support, as there aren't that many specialists out here and I can't drive to Sacramento or the Bay Area all the time
- Decent aftermarket support
- Easily found with a manual transmission. We've got enough slushboxes around here already.
1) The cheap option
If/when I sell the Talon, I can probably scrape together another $1k-$2k, for a total of $3k-$4k. I should be able to get a decent example of the particular vehicle out here (and not in Atlanta - cars out here in Northern NV/NorCal are noticeably more expensive).
The usual suspects - e30, Miata - would be nice, but I haven't seen anything worth having for that sort of money so far. And the wife will not entertain the idea of a P71.
2) The "I will have to borrow money" option
That would be what I don't like doing. The local credit union will only lend on a car that's less than 10 years old with less than 100k on it. And I'd be looking at at least 20% down so we're talking a max purchase price of 10k-15k.
So, ideas welcome 
.
E30 and E36 3-series spring right to mind. E30 is one of The Answers after all. They fit the momentum-car bill, they are cheap, reliable, and plentiful, the back seat is useable, they have big aftermarket support. You can't go wrong!
I know you mentioned you want a momentum car, but an N/A Z32 300ZX 2+2 would be a cool brute-force option. An FC-chassis RX-7 might also work, although the rear seats are a rare option and tiny.
Other than price you've described the E36 M3/4/5. They run about 9-11k around here.
An E46 328i or 330i will be around the same price if you can find one that squeaks under the 10/100 loan limits. They're not as much fun as the M3 but are solid, fun all around cars.
For a loan check out Pentagon Federal Credit Union - they have the same 10 year/100k mile limits but finance 100% of NADA blue book and their rates are great - currently 1.99% up to 48 months or 2.49% for up to 60 months. Penfed.org
How hard is it to maintain an E46 at home without too many special tools? I've seen a couple of 330xis that fall under the lending limit and within the price range.
@pigeon, I agree, an M3/4/5 would be ideal, but financing is going to be an issue at non rip-off rates. Unless someone can point me into the direction of a bank that has reasonable rates for older cars. I don't think dealer financing would be such a good idea on these either.
I have an e36 (318ti) for commuter duty. It's comfortable, drives well and eats up miles. Functional back seat/hatch area. So far it gets about 33 mpg (after fixing a vacuum leak). Alternator crapped out and it has some PO bodges I've been sorting (wrong tail light bulbs, cable pull for broken air recirculation switch...), but has racked up 5,000 miles without much drama. Mrs. Oldtin likes it.
In reply to BoxheadTim:
If you want the E36 M3/4/5 there's always a personal loan @ around 9%...
I find the E46 very easy to maintain - I did it for 3 years with a '99 328i taking it from 100k to 168k. No real special tools required (maybe a fan clutch tool if you have to deal with a mechanical fan but they have common mileage-related failure points that you should be aware of. Check out e46fanatics.com for definitive guidance.
Why dont you compromise on the requirements that kepe you from getting a reliable car (fun on track, good aftermarket support, manual) and get a Mercedes, then keep one of the other cars that isnt reliable enough to drive daily and fix that up to track later? You can get a mint w126 or w116 300SD for under $5k, and it seems like that would be a reasonably reliable way to get to work. If I remember right you said you have had several, but they are really easy to work on, and only need a few expensive tools to work on them.
Volvo 740 Turbos with a 5 speed are not everywhere like the automatics are but they may be worth the required travel/transport.
http://eugene.craigslist.org/cto/2528993245.html
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/2582372404.html
RWD
Born to drive in the Scandinavian snow
Taking to track will be a learning experience but can be made quite capable
4 seats and more but high on the utility scale
Ample online support with good aftermarket support
How about a SAAB C900? You mentioned a 99 as a consideration, but as a SAAB guy I can tell you that the only thing that makes a 99 better than a c900 is its lighter weight. I don't know how many c900s are in NV, but Cali & the PNW are loaded with them.
They are not as hard to work on as non SAAB people tell you they are, they don't need a lot of special tools, there is a fantastic knowledge base for them out on the interwebs, and although you can't find many parts for them at the local auto parts store, there are some great online parts sources like Eeuroparts.com.
If you decide to go the c900 route, my advice would be to look for a 16v NA. or turbo from '88 or newer. They were in production up to '93 and were also available as a convertible up to '94.
In the price range your talking about you should be able to find a pretty good one, possibly even a SPG.
I like the SPG idea, and hell, i'd even go 9000 Aero in a pinch.
I also VERY MUCH like the late 90s 9-3 4 door "H.Os"
Track + 4 seats + RWD pushes you towards a BMW. Most of the other common RWD sedans take quite a bit of attention just to get to the baseline a BMW starts at. I like working on BMWs. Not quite as simple as a Miata, but my E28, E34 and 'new' E36 have all been easier to repair than most FWD cars.
E30/E36 318i of some flavor? Their resale value is lower than the I6 cars and you can get a really nice one for a couple grand. A 325/328 will probably need another thousand or two to get to the same level of niceness. Almost any BMW will then need $1K-$2K and a weekend or two of work put into refreshing/upgrading the suspension or it won't drive quite right.
Also keep an eye out for an E28/E34 535, a '90+ (or even better, '93+) E34 525 or an E39 528/530. Relatively simple cars and fun to flog with better springs/shocks and maybe a limited slip diff.
I would throw an Impreza 2.5 RS into the mix. OK, it's AWD, but it's light enough to be easier on brakes than a BMW (the second set of doors added 30 pounds BION) parts are less expensive (I would think) and it is a stout car with no turbo to blow up. (although you could add one) Should be old enough to be in your price range too.
Travis_K wrote:
Why dont you compromise on the requirements that kepe you from getting a reliable car (fun on track, good aftermarket support, manual) and get a Mercedes, then keep one of the other cars that isnt reliable enough to drive daily and fix that up to track later?
Mainly because that would require having five cars between me and the wife, and I've got enough trouble to keep on top of four cars.
Travis_K wrote:
You can get a mint w126 or w116 300SD for under $5k, and it seems like that would be a reasonably reliable way to get to work. If I remember right you said you have had several, but they are really easy to work on, and only need a few expensive tools to work on them.
I've had a couple of W124s and I do like those (if I can find a good one), and oddly enough I've been eyeing 300D Turbodiesels for a while. Most of the 300SDs (and 300Ds) I've seen out here so far sport intergalactic mileage, though, or are priced way above my budget.
A potential "dark horse" would be a 400E - they're not that easy to find (especially if you're allergic to gold metallic) but those would fit the budget. Unfortunately that's where we go back to the five cars.
jrw1621 wrote:
Volvo 740 Turbos with a 5 speed are not everywhere like the automatics are but they may be worth the required travel/transport.
I've had a bunch of Volvos including a 740 Turbo. I know they're really easy to work on but I don't think I need/want another one.
HappyAndy wrote:
How about a SAAB C900? You mentioned a 99 as a consideration, but as a SAAB guy I can tell you that the only thing that makes a 99 better than a c900 is its lighter weight.
It's a nostalgia thing - my first car was a 99 GLS and I've had a couple more (plus a couple C900s, too).
HappyAndy wrote:
I don't know how many c900s are in NV, but Cali & the PNW are loaded with them.
Oddly enough, every time I look, at least on CL around here and Cali all I can find are the GM900s, with the exception of the odd very ropey C900 convertible.
HappyAndy wrote:
If you decide to go the c900 route, my advice would be to look for a 16v NA. or turbo from '88 or newer. They were in production up to '93 and were also available as a convertible up to '94.
In the price range your talking about you should be able to find a pretty good one, possibly even a SPG.
I've had turbos in the past and have driven a couple of 16V NAs in the UK. I'd probably go for an NA one if I could find a decent one.
pinchvalve wrote:
I would throw an Impreza 2.5 RS into the mix. OK, it's AWD, but it's light enough to be easier on brakes than a BMW (the second set of doors added 30 pounds BION) parts are less expensive (I would think) and it is a stout car with no turbo to blow up. (although you could add one) Should be old enough to be in your price range too.
Out here, $4k will buy you a very leggy mid-nineties Legacy or Impreza Outback in half decent condition. I've only seen on Impreza RS for sale so far in "project" condition and that was considerably over my budget.
Response from a debt hater here.
If you can't find an E30, a four banger E36 may be more in your price range and fits your list of needs pretty well.
I see a mention of a Z32 300ZX; you may also want to consider the earlier Z31 as well. Probably not the easiest thing to find, but almost impossible to find outside of your price range.
V6 4th generation Camaro / Firebird? They don't sell for much and are less likely to bite you in the snow than the V8 versions
Not a fan of the CamBird (plus we've already got a 'vette). I've seen a couple of Z31s out here, that might be an idea.
From a practical point of view, an E36 318is or 318ti probably would tick all the boxes, plus they're reasonably good on fuel which would help...
How can a "what car" thread with those criteria make it this far without someone mentioning the Merkur XR4TI. Those exact criteria and budget are the thing that make XRs such a good choice. RWD, decent power, very durable, well balanced, decent in snow, pretty darn good aftermarket support, easy to work on, inexpensive (if not outright cheap), no specialty tools or knowledge needed, plenty of internet support, probably good local support in your area, 4 very useable seats (the rear is even comfy for adults), great cargo room (for hauling tires, tools, support gear to auto-x, track days, rally, whatever), fun to drive, comfortable to drive, and on and on... plus you won't see yourself coming and going (if that sorta thing matters to you).
Think about it.
